Friday, October 28, 2005

Doodles from the Edge of Sanity

Such a week. We're in crunch mode. I have seen four of my coworkers cry in the past five days. (And I don't mean tear up. I mean sob.)

I am sick, I am not able to stay home and get well, and I am at the end of my patience.

None of this matters right now, though, because I have a whole half-hour for what ought to be lunch and I am going to spend it writing, instead. (Of course, the half-hour could be nullified with a single phone call from the boss, so I'd better write quickly.)

The Contest

I'm keeping the contest open through the weekend and will announce a winner on Tuesday. Entries have been coming in at a quick clip, and I've been laughing a lot when I check the mail. I need the laughs this week, so thank you all more than you can imagine.

The prize, which I hope the winner will feel is actually a prize, will be an original drawing, newly created for the contest. (What did you think I was going to give away? A poncho?)

Meanwhile

To keep sane (and also because it suddenly seems to be a part-time job) I've been drawing every night. I should be working on photographs, but I'm not set up to deal with Photoshop while lying in bed.

Most of what goes into my sketchbook doesn't show up on a shirt or even in the blog. It's really just doodling, although doodling in this case serves two purposes:

It increases the fluidity and facility with which I draw, much as daily weight workouts give a bodybuilder the ability to lift more weight with greater ease. Unfortunately, drawing does nothing for the abs, or I could give this Web design s--t up and do porn for a living.

It pulls new ideas out of what I will, for lack of a less pretentious term, call my subconscious. Half the time when the pen hits the paper, I don't really know what I'm going to draw. I just start making lines. And sometimes when I'm done I'm surprised by what's there. Sometimes it's good, and may turn into a finished cartoon. Sometimes, on the other hand, I consider running the paper through the shredder. Twice.

At random, here are a few snips from the sketchbook.

I have no idea where she came from. I thought I was drawing a sheep.

Judging from the date elsewhere on the page, I'd just sat through an interminable conference call at the end of which the only decision made was to schedule another meeting. I was clearly longing for greener pastures.

Before I really got to know a lot of knitters, I would have thought this to be an absurd idea. Now, I'm not so sure. There are probably four or five women reading my blog who have actually done this.

In case you can't read my scribble (I was on the subway) the caption reads, "little [sic] Intarsia's mother loved to knit." Weird. But maybe she could become the heroine of a series of children's books. Little Intarsia Goes to Rhinebeck. Little Intarsia's Very Special Christmas Sweater. Little Intarsia Meets Nancy Bush. Little Intarsia and the Case of the Wacky Ball-Winder.

She'd have to have spunk, like Eloise. An attitude. No way I'm drawing a whiny little twit like Caillou, or that namby-pamby Linnea who keeps mucking about in Monet's garden.

37 comments:

Little Intarsia books sounds fabulous though the market might not be that good. On the other hand, plenty of knitters would probably buy them.

I have a small book purchased 2nd hand in a charity shop in England (though published in Australia) called Derek the Dinosaur. Derek isn't like other dinosaurs. He stays indoors (with his friend Montmorency the mouse) and knits. This comes in handy for his fierce brothers when the ice age comes...

I'm sorry about the stress. I've been reading backposts of yours and i have to say i tried the Knitting as an alternative to medicine theory and it worked! maybe you should try that again! I love your drawings, the one of the bride will definitely be me! You should definitely do the book idea too..I think it would be a best seller!

How about Little Intarsia Meets Barbara Bush and Hogties Her with Yarn? (Oops, my politics are showing. That was not why, exactly, but an Extra Added Bonus of rooting for the White Sox: anything that could make the entire Bush family unhappy in one swell foop was OK with me.)

Nay sayers begone! I can see you developing a whole series of books and related merchandise based on the characters we have seen so far. You have your own definite style and it is eye catching and will sell. Keep going man! Test the waters and eventually you will have enough material to begin pitching to publishers and for your own merchandise. Who says in a years time you won't be able to leave the job you hate and devote all your energy and talent to something you LOVE. Peace!

Hope Monday morning finds you with more than the dregs of sanity; thanks for keeping the rest of us going with the drawings which are wonderful. I'd buy the Little Intarsia books as long as they maintain some vitriol...

You are truly talented. I admire those that can doodle amazing things. I have CONCENTRATE really hard in order to make a happy face! I'm quite envious of your natural talents. Please keep sharing, illustration for Mar's book is a good start, then your own! You always bring smile to my face. Thank You.

Hey there! (cough, sniffle) How ya' been (cough, blow)? Work is bad for your health, I tell ya.

I love the idea for the Little Intarsia books. But don't laugh. I have a pregnant knitting girlfriend, who wants to name her daughter intarsia; we are making a MASSIVE effort to discourage her. "Purl" is enough.

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